127New Belt too short.

[mbrennan]

My mule drive belt failed and I ordered the correct replacement IH 489397-R3. (77") This new belt is too short. I only winds around to the grease zerk in the center pulley. No way can I stretch it far enough to go around the pulley. Is there a longer belt. It the original deck 48" on a 127.
Appreciate any help here
Thanks

 

[danderson]

Pictures of the mule drive pulley area would help.

 

[jkoenig]

Mike,
Yes photos, or we can try to use our words. Have you released the tension? Loosen the nut on the tension rod, then does the spring loaded mule drive pulley have enough travel to allow the belt to fit? I don’t remember if a bit of prying may be fair game. What a trip in the way back machine for me! I must have been 10 or 12 the first time I did that with Dad. The belt was a bit of an adventure, but you really shoulda seen us reinstalling the tension springs on the trip snow blade! That was back way before Al Gore invented the internet for us all.

 

[digger]

My mule drive belt failed and I ordered the correct replacement IH 489397-R3. (77") This new belt is too short. I only winds around to the grease zerk in the center pulley. No way can I stretch it far enough to go around the pulley. Is there a longer belt. It the original deck 48" on a 127.
Appreciate any help here
Thanks

The first thing that comes to mind is, the 127 never came with a 48" deck.
The next thing would be for you to measure blade tip to blade tip and see what that measures.
Also, the 489397 belt is only 75 1/2" long, not 77.

The 42" deck does take a longer belt,
IH-490489-R2-3/8 X 80"

 

[mbrennan]

I measured the back of the deck so that is wrong

 

[digger]

I measured the back of the deck so that is wrong

Tilt your head the other way and give it another shot.

 

[mbrennan]

Ok, I got the right belt 80" Thank you so much for the help. I have had this 127 since 1976 from a neighbor. I put the new belt on however, now the whole belt system is shaking and the tension pulley on the deck is doing a lot of back and forth. I gave it more RPM and it seems fine now, but the front spring loaded pulley is doing a lot of back and forth. Is that normal?
Thanks again for helping me get the right part and for telling me how wide mey deck is.

 

[jkoenig]

Sorry Mike, when you had the belt off, we shoulda had you check out the mule drive pulleys, their shafts, the tensioning spring, and threaded shaft/it’s hole for the PTO belt, and the tensioner pulley, spring, and spindles on the deck. Once it’s all spinning, it‘s tough to pinpoint a problem.

You say you got “the right belt”. Did you visit a dealer?

Also, actual mowing at low rpms is not recommended because the engine needs the airflow created at higher rpms for cooling. Just testing it is ok.

 

[mbrennan]

Yes, I went to a dealer and got the right belt. I do run it high rpm, but I was checking it out before reving it up.
The pulleys are set pretty much even and they are spinning well.
deck pulleys seem ok. I checked all that beforehand.
Ifeel a bit stupid knowing so little, but all I have ever done to the tractor is
grease it a lot and change the oil frequently.
I did buy Fumoto drain valve so now I only have to push a lever and oil drains down a plastic tube into a coffee can. Changing it before was always a hassle.
Thanks again for your help. One is never alone with this group.

 

[mbrennan]

 

[rrschmitt]

Mike, Whenever a mule drive belt comes off by itself or fails, its always good to check the two mule drive pulleys to make sure the bearings in them spin freely. I also wiggle them side-to-side to see if there's any slop to make sure the bearings are good.

 

[kharvey]

Also make sure you have the correct tension on it. The spring should be stretched a bit. The manual has the measurement from mule drive to center of pulley 3 or 3.5 inch I think. And the new belt will stretch after a few mowings.

 

[mbrennan]

Thank you all